Bargaining has been frustrating so far. So, we want to share that people who’ve been through this process tell us what we are experiencing is typical for first contracts. Management will flex. They can’t flex forever, because they know where the value comes from at Miami: faculty.
Meanwhile, FAM continues to move forward and present new proposals to solve problems and look to the future!
New Proposals
Our team introduced a proposal on Intellectual Property, Copyright, and Artificial Intelligence, which not only looks to protect faculty members’ ownership in what they create, but innovates new contract language about the growing interest and use of AI.
FAM’s proposal on Online Course Content works to correct inequities in the level of control faculty on different campuses have over instructional materials and content, particularly in online courses.
FAM’s Evaluation of Teaching article proposes fair processes for evaluating teaching effectiveness that depend less on end-of-course student evaluations – tools well known to be problematic and biased.
Finally, FAM’s article on Data Sharing fights for financial and budgetary transparency.
FAM has countered Management’s proposal on the Appointment, Renewal, and Promotion of TCPL Faculty. While their proposal was regressive, our counter-proposal works to codify and improve upon the policies collaboratively developed by the Faculty Welfare Committee over the past decade. To our TCPL colleagues – we have your back.
Other news
One exchange from today’s session was especially memorable. When FAM asked Management about their proposed “right” to control what is taught in courses and how they are taught, they made it clear: in their view, we the faculty have no right to control these key aspects of our duties as educators — that right belongs to Management. It is important that faculty retain our full right to determine instructional content. We will continue to push to enshrine academic freedom rights in the contract.
There are two bargaining sessions next week in Hamilton: the second FAM-L bargaining session will be next Monday (10/30) and the sixth FAM-T bargaining session on Wednesday (11/1). We confirmed an additional 3 dates for FAM-T Bargaining: December 19, January 17, and January 31. RSVP for upcoming dates here.
What you can do to move the needle
- Show management that their tactics have lost them support: sign up to become a member or get a friend to join. FAM will soon have more members than the the number of people who voted yes to unionize.
- Take action to defend your governance rights! 116 faculty and librarians have called for a Faculty Assembly to enforce their governance rights. Talk to your liaison about FAM’s next steps.
- Put a bargaining platform on your door to show your support for the goals FAM is fighting for.
- Write op-eds and letters to the editor to support FAM’s efforts at the table. (Some recent press and op eds: Miami University union leader sounds off on contract negotiations, ”The costs of denying faculty raises; and the press campaign on endangered majors, including pieces in the Chronicle of Higher Ed, Channel 12 and radio, the Miami Student, and this letter to the editor by Jerome Stanley.
- Invite a buddy to come to a bargaining session: www.tinyurl.com/FAMbargaining. Let them see for themselves!
Strength and solidarity!
Above, in image: Rachel Makarowski gives a video update on today’s FAM-T bargaining. View all video updates on TikTok @famiamioh.
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